Some people are better than others at keeping plants alive. If you are one of those that can’t keep a plant green despite your best intentions, the Grobal Self-Watering Planter is for you. Designed by Karim Rashid this attractive little planter is as functional as it is good looking. The bottom of the pot is a reservoir of water that will slowly feed the plant of your choice, keeping it happy and green. It even has a small window to show you the level of the water. It is available in 8 different colors and two sizes.
Available from A+R for $15 – $25.

Were big fans of the DIY approach here at Grassrootsmodern. Not only do you end up saving a lot of money, but there is an added satisfaction that you get knowing that you’ve made something. If you’re looking for a little direction for a project, here is a coffee table plan for $3 to get you started. The only tools that you need are a jigsaw and a drill and you will be on your way. The whole table is made of one single sheet of plywood, which means it could cost you anywhere from $20 to $100 depending on what kind of plywood you use.
Plans available from Plan Canvas for $3.

Via Modern Furniture Plans.

I just caught wind of this one last night. It looks like Henriksen Butler, Salt Lake’s local Herman Miller distributer, is having a warehouse sale. The majority of Henriksen Butlers clients are office related, so chances are that there wont be a whole lot of items from the Herman Miller Home line, but it’s worth checking out. According to the flyer the pricing is “extremely aggressive” which sounds good to me. I plan on swinging by this afternoon just before 5 to see what they have.

Henriksen Butler
Herman Miller

This CB2 exclusive is what a good pendant lamp should be, sleek, sexy and not overstated. The white fluid shape is handmade iron painted gloss white and is 13″ dia and 9″ H. The sleek lines of the Puddle Pendant Lamp are obviously reminiscent of saarinen tulip line of furniture, they definitely carry that mid-century vibe. They can be used individually, or hung in series (see the picture after the jump). Best of all is that they are currently 50% off at CB2!
Available from CB2 for $19

Read more

This is a great example of someone who is breaking the mold to come up with some great new design. It seems like these days it’s hard to get an angle on furniture design that hasn’t already been done. Alexander Pelikan has combined wood and plastic in a very dramatic way. By using molded plastic for all the joinery it gives the chair an organic look that you would expect to find in classic danish design, but achieved with modern manufacturing practices. What’s best of all is that Alexander has been gracious enough to share exactly how he does it. Check out the video below….

I’ve been anxious to play with some resins lately, any idea what he is using?

iChime may very well be the perfect doorbell for geeks. They are touting it as a “Play Anything” digital doorbell, and that’s exactly what it will do. Out of the box it comes with 50 pre recorded sounds and if that’s not good enough you can load 6 customs tracks. All you have to do is hook it up to your iPod or computer and load them on. With all that customization it’s bound to sound good, best of all though is that it looks decent as well.
Available from iChime for $90.

Via uncrate.

I have to admit that if you are looking for a affordable modern kids chair and table, Ikea can’t be beaten. If you just don’t like Ikea, or are looking for something a little different make sure you check out the Alma chair and Linus table. Not nearly as affordable at $56 a chair and over $200 for the table, the Alma/Linus combo is still a good looking set. The chairs are available in 4 different colors of made of injection-molded polypropylene goodness. The table only comes in white.

Available from Unica home $56 – $258.

Lexon has a tradition of makeing some wonderfuly simple products, and the Around Clock is no exception. Designed by Anthony Dickens, the Around clock features durable ABS construction available in either black or white. A single red line wraps around the side to indicate the current time. Price is $22.
Available from Unica Home for $22.

I’m loving these Kivi Table Top pot holders from the scandinavian design center. These thick 100% wool placemats are just the thing to set your hot pots on. They look especially good when mixed and matched with some smaller sizes, and some coasters. They come in a good selection of colors. I’m particularly partial to the more earthy tones.

Available from Scandinavian Design Center, starting at $9.

Here is a great minimalist trash can designed by Li Jianye. It’s made of a continuous piece of chrome wire, bent in a shape to accept a common sized trash bag. The idea is simple and brilliant. The wire gives enough shape to hold the bag, but it will also flex slightly to accommodate larger loads. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find any information if it has ever gone into production or if it’s just a concept. Looks like a great DIY project though…